“Not suitable for the Bundesliga!”: Catastrophic start breaks up deeply affected VfL Bochum

Already after the first day of play in Bochum the air is burning. The club started the third season in a row in the first Bundesliga with so much euphoria. But the “fundamental changes” in the game system announced in the summer are not (yet) taking effect.

“It was a very strange feeling on the pitch!” Bochum’s captain Anthony Losilla was already a week ago, after the depressing bankruptcy (after penalties) in the DFB Cup at Arminia Bielefeld, in an almost strange way irritated by his own team. Now, after the five-goal disaster at the Bundesliga opener at VfB Stuttgart, the 37-year-old gave a deep look into the inner workings of his club: “We have to sit down again and analyze this game more deeply, because that’s not how we can present ourselves , that’s just a fact. It’s just not suitable for the Bundesliga.”

There’s no other way to put it: Bochum’s air is on fire after just one matchday. Because coach Thomas Letsch also found clear words: “We have to put our finger on the wound. I have to start with myself, every player with himself and question what was the reason that we presented ourselves the way we did, what mistakes we made. ” Already on the next matchday – of all things it’s the derby against last year’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund – it will become clear whether Letsch’s words were just the usual phrases or whether the club is actually fundamentally questioning itself. Because even before the season started, the VfL coach had promised the fans: “No one in Bochum should be afraid that we’ll do something completely different now, which doesn’t suit the team.” But this is exactly the concern in the city of fourteenth in the table last season – and not only after a preparation with mostly bad results, as usual.

“The approach to the game wasn’t particularly complex”

During the summer break, a newsletter sent to VfL fans caught their attention on closer reading. There, the club’s current sports director, Marc Lettau, found surprisingly clear and honest words about VfL Bochum’s game idea last season: “Our approach to the game wasn’t particularly complex and the opposing teams adapted to our game better and better as the season progressed .” At that time, however, after the weak start to the season and the change of coach to Thomas Letsch, it was about “giving the team stability and security through a simple but clearly defined approach to the game.” And in fact, the game of VfL Bochum lived for long parts of the season from “long balls” (Thomas Letsch) and the focus on the second ball. Not nice to look at – but the relegation proved everyone involved right in the end.

However, a few things should change at VfL Bochum for the new season. Lettau stated: “In order to continue being successful in the future, we want to be more variable, especially in ball possession, and create a healthy balance between positional play and playing on the second ball.” The term “triple chain” has also been floating over the Ruhr Stadium since the end of June. Quite a few fans of the club saw this term from the start as more of a sword of Damocles than a glimmer of hope. But first even the club’s worst performances in the friendly phase were put aside under the impression of the euphoria of the last matchday. Finally, Lettau also said: “Preparing for a new season is the best time to tackle such fundamental changes – away from any pressure to result.”

Where has the DNA of VfL football gone?

The mood in Bochum has now turned after the two opening bankruptcies. The patience and trust in the management staff at VfL Bochum has decreased significantly. The dissatisfaction with the fact that the start of the season has obviously been given away carelessly is growing noticeably. Because everyone – fans and officials – is clear: Something has to change very quickly and fundamentally at VfL Bochum. It remains to be seen whether what will then be offered by the team on the pitch will differ significantly from what the team already showed last season.

After the impressions of the preparation and after the first two games in the league and cup, it seems more like a complete return to last season’s game system. Because so far you could not even begin to recognize a successful implementation of a new system on the pitch. But wisely, in his words to the club’s supporters during the summer break, Lettau also assured that “the fans will not have to do without essential elements of football à la ‘Anne Castroper'”. Lettau promised: “Fighting spirit, intensity and commitment are part of the DNA of VfL football.” So far, however, little has been seen of this.

There is still hope in Bochum that the team, which seemed to have been cleverly supplemented with Lukas Daschner, Maximilian Wittek, Bernardo and Matus Bero (which had caused plenty of optimism among the fans), will get back on track quickly and in good time. After all, it is not for nothing that the club has been playing in the first Bundesliga for the third year in a row. But if things go wrong, it will be interesting to see how the sporting management of VfL will assess the situation. Finally, at the end of his remarks during the summer break, Marc Lettau said that he was “convinced that Thomas Letsch will successfully convey the new game philosophy to those players who were previously used to more focused football of the ‘plain of diamonds’ brand.” However, a complete team will probably not be replaced in the event of a failure at VfL Bochum either. However, there is still hope that the “deep analysis” at all levels will ultimately lead to success. Even if, in the end, the idea of ​​a new game system will probably have to be abandoned for the time being.